The Oba of Benin
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the role of the Oba and how this is represented in some of the Benin Bronzes.
Key learning points
- The Kingdom of Benin began in the 1000s CE and reached its peak in the 1400s CE under the rule of Oba Ewuare.
- The Obas were the rulers of Benin, and the people of Benin believed that they were divine and showed them great respect.
- Anyone approaching the Oba did so on their knees and were not allowed to look at him without permission.
- The Oba lived in a palace where they would meet with their officials and lead religious ceremonies.
- The British Museum holds many brass wall plaques showing Obas with their attendants conducting these rituals.
Keywords
Oba - the Oba was the ruler of the Edo people living in the Kingdom of Benin
Divine - to be divine is to be a god or like a god
Plaques - a plaque is a flat piece of metal, stone or wood with writing or images on it that is fixed to a wall or surface
Common misconception
All Obas of Benin were male.
While historically most Obas were, indeed, male, there were exceptions, and a few female rulers, known as "Queen Mothers," held significant influence and power. The Queen Mothers often acted as regents for young kings or played advisory roles.
Teacher tip
Contrast the way in which the king of England is approached and regarded to the way in which the Oba was approached and regarded.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.True or false? The Edo were the indigenous inhabitants of the Kingdom of Benin.
Q2.Where was Benin City located?
Q3.Complete the sentence. Surrounding Benin City were huge, strong to protect the city from threats and invasion.
Q4.Which of the following was not a feature of Benin City?
Q5.Who would have lived and worked inside the city walls?
Q6.Approximately how many villages made up the suburbs, outside of the city walls?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When did the Kingdom of Benin begin?
Q2.What was the name given to the rulers of the Edo people living in the Kingdom of Benin?
Q3.What were the few female rulers who held significant influence and power known as?
Q4.Which statements accurately explain why Oba Ewuare was considered to be a great leader?
Q5.Complete the sentence. The Oba was regarded as , as it was thought that he had a connection to the gods.
Q6.What were some of the important activities that the Obas would do in their palace?
To help you plan your 6 history lesson on: The Oba of Benin, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 history lesson on: The Oba of Benin, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Benin: Why have people argued about the Benin Bronzes? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.